Comments on: Has Darling stolen the Tories’ thunder?

By: Paddy

Paddy — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:20:26 +0000

“You can fool all of the people some of the time; some of the people all of the time …. etc etc” What does Brown really think the public are? Complete idiots?

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 07:24:05 +0000

This is cynical party politics at the very least and possibly something a lot more dangerous. Everyone with half a brain knows that this report was brought forward purely and simply as an campaign opportunity. The plan has back fired and now the Chancellor is wildly using this to regain some political momentum… not good.

By: Dudley Heath

Dudley Heath — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 07:10:49 +0000

Was this not another example of Labour spin which has fooled the public and the media. Did they not listen to Mr darling add the words “For a married coupe” after mentioning £600,000 inheritance tax threshold.
He is not offering anything new, if my maths is correct, there are two people in a married couple and each person has an allowance of £300,000 which makes a total of £600,000.
How can people be so gullable?

By: James

James — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:31:29 +0000

This financial statement is without a doubt the most puerile example of putting party above the interests of the nation I have seen in my sixty years of following parliamentary debates. It would not be out of place in the school playground. Darling might just as well have ended his statement with: “Yah-boo! We stole your thunder!”.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:44:51 +0000

I think that Labour has indeed played it cleverly. By allowing the focus to fall on political positioning they have deftly allowed the fact that instead of being £4 billion in the black on borrowing they instead had to borrow an additional £8 billion. That’s a wopping £12 billion error in projections. No wonder they can afford to give more to the NHS, they just borrow and have future generations pay it back! Indeed, one has to ask who’s hands is the economy safest in?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:07:37 +0000

A question for Mr Darling.

What would the probability of a couple dying at the same time be for this £600,000 inheritance tax threshold to come into play? If one dies the other would inherit all “tax free”. When he or she dies the inheritance tax threshold would revert back to that for a single person, wouldn’t it?

Labour will need to do alot more than this to win my vote! Bring on an election the sooner the better!

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:01:39 +0000

This just proves what a cynic Gordon Brown is. He things he can cover up his tax increases and numerous stealth taxes by pretending to be tax friendly and even then is completely unable to think of his own ideas and has to seal others ideas. Let’s hope the electorate see through this deceitful ruse.

By: Richard M. Reynolds

Richard M. Reynolds — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:58:39 +0000

Labour has played the old trick of copying the Tory policy which so enamoured the nation to them, but the cunning twist to it of not being so generous to our children.
To nudge up these people who grasp with one hand and give grudgingly with another we need a change of government to preserve our democracy. Brown has been in power too long and will not change his habits. Spin, spin and smoke and mirrors.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:51:28 +0000

Labour have had over 10 years to come up with these policies themselves - and haven’t. When the Tories do it, they see the popularity and copy it for themselves. They claim they are in touch with the electorate and yet it takes their rivals to show them the way…
Clever - or really just second rate policy developers?

By: Tom Begg

Tom Begg — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:44:53 +0000

Of course not. No damp powder here, an inkling of new policies and Labour pounce on any scrap or dried bone.

They are becoming devoid of new ideas, they follow both the Liberals and Tories like little lap dogs.

Interesting times ahead.